Racket-press.



C. M. NESS & C. T. THOMPSON.

RACKET PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21. I916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Charlesfii Hess 95 CHARLES M; ivnss'mvn CHARLES r. THOMPSON, or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHAnLns MrNEss and CHARLES T. THOMPSON, of Philadelphia in the'county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Racket-Presses, whereof the following is a specification, ref-' erence being hadto the accompanyingdraw- I 1 lug members is substantially identical.

ings. I 7

Our invention relates to mechanism for placing the sidesof a racket, such as is used in playing lawn tennis, or similar imple-' ment, under pressure when the implement is; not in use, in order that warping may-be prevented. It is important that such a racket press be relatively light andof relatively small bulk, Our press accomplishes its ends having regard to these limitations It is characterized by the central pin uniting two opposed clamping members, said pin being small enough to pass freely between the meshes 'which form the stringing of racket.

The pin is readily detachable from one of the clamping members in order to permit the racket to be placed within or removed from the press, andjis solunited to, the other clampiug'member that the needed-pressure to prevent warping may be quickly created.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, represents a tennis racket 'withiour device applied thereto.

Fig. II, is a longitudinal central section f through the same, and

Fig. III, is a sectional view along the line IIIIII of Fig. I.

The clamping members 1, and 2, form re-. spectively the upper and lower elements of the press. They may be of any convenient form and construction large enough to exert pressure at the proper points on the rim of the racket, and of suificient stiffness to trans-- mit this pressure evenly fromv the center of the press to the rim. Within these limitations each clamping member may be formed of any convenient shape, preferably of metal in order to possess the r'equlred lightness and rigidity. We have found a convenient con-' struction to be that of a spider frame with radiating arms 3, 3, reaching from the center to the rim of the racket. To stiffen these arms they are preferably made in the form of webs lying in a plane at right angles to that of the racket, and they are fitted with enlargements 4, at the outer ends lying nAeKEr-rnnss.

Specification of Letters Patent. a lication filed April 27, 1916.: Serial n. 93,822.

Patented May 22, 1917.

in theplane of the rim of the racket, thus affording convenient pressure surfaces adj acent to the rim. arranged in pairs united'centrally, the central uniting portions 5, being turned up from, and forming the sides of, a central 6-1 v I Thus far the construction of both clamp- The upper clamping member has its plate 6, centrally pierced to freely receive the pin 7 This pin has'a smooth surface where it passes through the meshes of the racket, in

order to-prevent-wear upon the stringing,

As shown these arms are a mentwiththe upperend of the pin, whereby the proper vertical adjustmentbetween the two may be acco'mplished, the head of the ver 11, which is mounted upon pivots 12,

passing through the turned up sides 5, of the central plate6. The pivots 12, are eccentrid'in relation to'the bosses 9, as best seen in Fig. III, whereby rotationof the lever arm 11, on its pivot, effects a cam mo-. tron eXertmg pressure upon the sleeve 8, to

draw pin 7, up or down in relation to the plane of the clamping member 1.

The other end of the pin 7 passes through a central aperture in the central plate, 6,

of the clamping member 2, and isthere releasably secured by a pin 15, which fits in a slot 16, at'the end of the pin 7, and which also slides within a suitable aperture in the central turned up side 5, of the plate 6, its

escape and loss being prevented by astop 17 When a racket is to be placed under pressure one of the clamping members isplaced upon either side, the pin 7, being properly inserted centrally through one of the meshes of the stringing. The lower end of the pin is then secured to the lower [clamping member by engaging the pin 15, with its slotted lower end. Thereupon the lever arm 11, which has previously been occupying a position in which the sleeve 8, is in contact with the central plate 6, of the upa per clamping member, is turned upon its pivot, so as to exert a powerful cam action, drawing the sleeve away from the plate 6, to the position shown in Fig. II, where the mechanism comes to rest with the clamping parts powerfully compressed upon the rim of the racket between them.

The amount of the pressure thus determined is dependent upon the position of the sleeve on the pin, and in order to accommodate this to any individual racket, the proper adjustment is made bv turning the threaded end of the pin within the sleeve. When this adjustment has once been properly made for any particular racket, it should remain constant, the clamping members being thereafter applied to that racket as previously described, an application which is very easily and quickly made.

We have already referred to some of the advantages of a racket press such as we have described. The central connection between the two clamping surfaces lessens the size and weight of the parts. The smooth pin for establishing this central connection by passing through the meshes of the stringing of the racket, is free from any tendency to injure the gut. The cam action which is interposed between the upper clamping member and the pin, produces powerful and positive pressure quickly applied to a predetermined limit, and this is what is necessary to effectively prevent any warping of the racket.

The press is not bulky, being small enough to be inserted with the racket in an ordinary racket cover. It is not heavy, and its method of application is so simple as to be capable of being properly used by any one without fear of injuring the racket.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 7

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a racket press, the combination of opposed clamping members; a pin connecting said clamping members centrally; means for attaching and detaching one end of said pin to or from one of said clamping members; and means interposed between the other end of said pin and the other of said clampingmembers, whereby the dis tance between the clamping members may be adjusted and means whereby tension is exerted through said pin to draw the clamping .members together.

2. In a racket press, the combination of clamping members; a pin centrally uniting said clamping members, capable of passing through the mesh of the racket strings;

means for adjusting said clamping members 1n relation to said pin, and a cam lever whereby pressure may be exerted through said pin to draw said clamping members by the adjustment of the sleeve on the pin.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Philadelphia, Pennsyl Vania, this twenty-fifth day of April, 1916.

CHARLES M. NESS. CHARLES T. THOMPSON. l/Vitnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

Washington, D. 0. 

